Hospital truck



Jim@ 16, 1925.

W. Wx FREDERICK HOSPITAL TRUOK Filed Jupe i2, 19M

3 m Jr ,u/ L l u a 4 Y G@ hweuoz J 14KW Mez-azi I June 16, 1925.

w. w. FREDERICK HOSPLTAL'TRUCK File@ June 12, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 16, 1925.

W. W; FREDERICK HOSPITAL TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet '5 Filed June 12, 1924 invention appart-aine.

` Patented June 16, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFrFlcs; l

WILLIAM w. rnnnsnrcxjor: eosnoc'roiv, oHIo.

Hos-rrran TRUCK;

`Animation med :une 12, `1924. serial Np. 719,59a

ding on which the sick person has laid, may

be `moved about readily from place to place, as, for instance, .when `it is desired to move. a patient from one bed `toanOther, vor from a bed to anoperating table.` f

1t is within the province ,of thedisclosnre to improve `generally and to enhance theI utility 1of devices of that sor-t Vto which .the

Although a preferred form of the invention has been shown, it will be understood that a mechanic, working `within the scope of what is claimed, may malte .changes with out departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows in side elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an end elevation; Figure 3 is a top plan wherein parts are broken away; Figure 4 is a vertical section showing the means whereby stretcher is held against swinging movement; Figure 5 is a plan showing the drum and its mounting; Figure 6 is a sectional view illustrating the means whereby the sling is assembled adjustably with the suspension member; Figure 7 is a fragmental section taken on the line '7l-7 of Figure 3.

The device comprises a truck 1 including a base 2 of' rectangular outline, supporting a. platform 3 which may be madeof wire or any other suitable material. At its four corners, the base 2 has legs 4 whereonballbean ing castors 5 are journaled, and swlvelled as indicated at 6. An end member 7 projects upwardly from one extremity of the base 2. A two-part derrick 8 extends upwardly from l said extremity of the base 2 and has an end 9 which is curved to overhang the base 2. For the sake of stability, the consti-tuent parts ofthe derrick 8 diverge downwardly, as shown in Figure 2, the sides of the end member 7 being offset as at 10, so that the upper `bar of the end member 7 may bear i against the derrick 8 and sustain it.

. A stretcher 11, in the form of a rectangular frame, is provided, and across the the stretcher extend flexible supports 12, con- Y nected detachably with the side portions of the stretcher 11 by hooks 14. The stretcher' `11 iscarried by` a sling 15, made up of flexible elements 1G, connected at v17 to Vthe corners of the stretcher 11, the flexible elements 16 slanting upwardly' `and inwardly toward the center of the stretcher 11. The flexible elements 161 are formed into a loop 13 extended into a horizontal ring 1(1) and Vthrmigh a vertical ring 20. resting on the ring 19. The ring 20 is connected by a hook 21, or otherwise, with a fiexible element 22 extended through a guide 23 on the lowerextremfity of .the end :9 of the derrick 8, the flexible element -22 `trtwersi-ng guide pulleys 24 journaled on axles; `25 connecting the` constituent members. `lof .the two-part derrick 8, the flexible element being extended downwardly and being wound about a `drum 26 carriedby a shaft 27 jonrnaled infa `frame 28 on the derrick 8, .the shaft 27 being provided with a gear wheel 29 meshing with a pinion 30 on a shaft 31 carried by the frame 28 and provided with a crank 32, there being a ratchet wheel 33 on the shaft 31, the frame 28 carrying a pivoted pawl 34 adapted to cooperate with the ratchet wheel. The derrick 8 has ears 35 whereon latches 36 are pivoted intermediate their ends. The end members 7 may be sustained from the base 2 by braces 37. A tongue 38 is pivoted at 39 to brackets 4() on one end of the base 2 and is held in the upturned position of Figure 1 by a retractile spring 41 extended between the tongue 38 and a cross piece 42 on the derrick 8.

In practical operation, the truck 1 is rolled along until the base 2 passes beneath the bedstead on which the patient is reclining. The supports 12 are unhooked at one or both ends'from the stretcher 11 and are worked `underneath the patient, the hooks 14 being assembled with the sides of the stretcher'll. Then the stretcher may be raised by means of the crank 32, the shaft 31, the pinion 30, the gear wheel 29, the shaft 27, the drum 26 and the flexible element 22, and the stretcher 11 may be shifted endwise until the stretcher, carrying the patient, is balanced, the flexible elements 16 sliding through the rings 19 and 20, under the application of considerable force, but the ringshaving so much frictional engagement with the fiexible elements 16, that the flexible elements will not slide readilythrough the rings and destroy the counterpoise which has been secured. The pawl and ratchet mechanism EES-24 prevent retrograde rotation of the drum 26 and hold the stretcher ll suspended as in Figure l, with one end of the stretcher resting on the upper end of the part 7 of the truck, the latches 36 being engaged with one end of the stretcher to hold thestretcher against the derrick 8 and to prevent the stretcher from swinging horizontally. The bedding may be placed on the platform 3, and both patient and bedding may be moved, the truck being drawn along by the tongue 38 which may be swung downwardly to accommodate the person towing the truck, the spring 41 yielding to permit the tongue to be lowered, and reacting to restore the tongue to the upwardly inclined position depicted in Figure l. The truck base 2 may be slid under a bed, and by reversing the operation described, the patient may be lowered upon the bed. Although the device is intended to be used for handling a sick person, it may be employed for handling a corpse with equal advantage.

l/Vhat is claimed is l. In a device of the class described, a truck including an upstanding derrick and an upstanding end member, the upper portion; of the end member extending across the dei-rick to `form a shoulder, a stretcher supported at one end on the shoulder againstdownward swinging movement and abutting against the derriek to prevent horizontal movement of the stretcher, latch means for holding the stretcher detachably engaged with the shoulder and the derriclr, and means assembled with the derrick for raising and lowering the stretcher.

2. In a device of the class described, a truck comprising a derrick, a stretcher, means on the derrick for raising and lowering the stretcher, a substantially horizontal ring, a substantially vertical ring extended into and bearing on the first spe'ciiied ring and connected to said means, and slings extended between the ends or' the stretcher, the sling having loops extended into the iirst specified ring and extended through the second specih'ed ring, the rings cooperating with the loops frictionally, to prevent the slings from shifting endwise saving under the application of considerable force.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto alhxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM WV. FREDERICK.

Witnesses M. O. BRETZINS, E. L. Foor. 

